Wait! Don’t put that winter active wear away just yet. If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites during the summer, you might just need it. There is often this misconception about “sunny Italy” being, well, warm all the time. But it’s a long peninsula that experiences true seasons and isn’t always under the Tuscan sun.

I’m flying down the hill at 50 miles an hour. Trees blow past me as I rapidly descend in elevation. Suddenly, smack in the middle of the road, I see two grizzly bears. I slam on the brakes, skidding sideways on my road bike. Somehow, I maintain control and stop, a mere 20 paces away from the two grizzlies. Startled, one runs to the side of the road, but the other holds his ground.

Happy comfortable feet empower you to tackle indulgent adventures and find delight in every moment. Having proper footwear should be priority numero uno as you begin packing for your trip. Whether you are biking, hiking or dancing your way through your vacation, these are the best ways to take care of your most-used instruments of travel, your feet.

The wind is blowing in your face, which is usually a pleasant feeling but today it’s making the riding one hell of a lot tougher. Your head feels heavy and your eyes are fixed on the tarmac just inches ahead of your front wheel, the beautiful scenery stopped mattering a long time ago. As the sweat drips from your face, you struggle to find your breath and you wonder, “How in the hell was I ever talked into going on an active travel trip?”

Here’s the first thing you should know: how you perform at high altitude can have very little to do with your fitness level. So let yourself off the hook for that one. Of course, being fit and healthy always increases your resilience and helps you recover more quickly from challenges. So it doesn’t hurt. Get fit. But don’t beat yourself up if you’ve done all your stair training and still find yourself breathless in Iquitos.

Riding 4,000 miles across the country gave me plenty of time to think about all of life’s intricacies and plenty of time to scold myself for over-packing my bicycle. Nothing can ruin a trip like realizing you’ve been too liberal with your packing and purchasing habits.

It’s not unusual to gear up with new equipment before a Backroads trip; we all know how wonderful it feels to don a fresh pair of bike shorts with a brand new shammy. There are some things, however, that should be broken in before embarking on an active travel adventure.